Well were back. And thanks for all the kind comments about yesterday’s incomplete kindness act. I don’t really think we are slackers, but was just trying to put a semi funny spin on a very bad day.
But thanks for making me feel very un-slacker-esk! I like to invent words around here.
So today for Random Acts of Kindness Advent we left our lovely, wonderful mailman Mike a little Christmas cheer…aka cookies and a Starbucks gift card.
I have worn this cookie mix…like over 6 dozen of these cookies…and my Hobby Lobby tins out this holiday season.
And tomorrow we will be…
handing out candy canes. I’m hoping that by having 3 small kiddos that parents will allow their kids to take candy from a stranger…we shall see.
In some super fun news…we were Random Acts of Kindnessed (total made up word) today.
And it was fun. Like super fun. Thanks to whoever you are…you blessed our socks off.
Top 2 things I love about the above picture:
#1 Sol’s face
#2 Huddy’s hair
And it’s giveaway time again. To celebrate being on the waitlist for 13 months…by the way that is just WAY too long in my personal opinion…we’re giving away this 8×10 canvas.
*The sun must set to rise…I dream of paradise* -Coldplay
I absolutely adore this song and it applies to my life in so many ways currently.
Life is just weird right now and Christmas is literally right around the corner. I am actually dreading it. Another Christmas without our son and our first Christmas without Mom. Big double whammy.
I am just about beside myself with anxiousness wanting to see that sweet face…just to see him would do my heart a world of good right now. I just cannot, cannot wait to see that incredible little face.
The sun must set to rise…sometimes it’s going to get worse before it gets better…the wait is long, but WOW the end is amazing.
I feel like my heart could burst right now.
So we still wait. With anticipation and faith and hope and all those lovely, hopeful things.
And we celebrate each month being a little bit closer to seeing our boy.
So here’s how to enter and this giveaway is going to be a quick one, so I can get it shipped to the winner before Christmas.
Please leave a separate comment on this post for each entry.
Entry #1 Leave a comment…any ole’ comment will do.
Entry #2 Leave a comment about a favorite Christmas memory.
Entry #3 Share the giveaway on your Facebook status
Entry #4 Share the giveaway on your Twitter status
Again, please leave a separate comment on this post for each entry.
Giveaway will end Wednesday, December 21st at midnight and I will announce the winner on Thursday.
Praying like crazy this is our last Waiting Giveaway.
And yes, Harper is rockin’ some mesh shorts this December day.
PS: I’m having a key fob giveaway on my PPA Facebook page…head over and enter to win. 2 sets up for grabs and 2 winners. Ends tomorrow night.
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love it!
my favorite christmas memory is every sunday night in the month of December we would turn off all the lights, light candles, and my mom would bring out trays of finger foods – good ole hickory farms sausage, cheese, crackers, fruit, cookies and chocolates, and sparkling cider. We’d all sit around and talk and enjoy the christmas season.
This piece is awesomely-perfectly-appropriate for my life right now!
shared on fb.
i love this song as well. awesome choice.
and p.s.-i wouls so let my kids eat a candy cane…they are wrapped in plastic 🙂
Praying this is it!
praying with you that you see the sweet face of the newest Kelley in the next month! but the next few days would be even better. looking forward to celebrating that day with you, states away!
I’m really loving this work, but I always love your work!
Amanda
LOVE the look on your little ones faces as they hold the sign.
i shared on fb! 🙂
Love you laura and praying for your wait to be over.
one of my favorite christmas memories was when my parents got my brother and I a puppy for Christmas. I told them, “if this is a dream, please don’t wake me up!”
My Fav Christmas memory was telling my parents that they would be getting their first grandchild in August.
You are in my thoughts and prayers this Christmas! My heart aches for you this past month. Praying for good news of your referral soon!! I look forward to all for your posts and acts of kindness!
I have been inspired by your Random Acts of Kindness….thank you for reminding us what the season is all about & that it doesn’t have to be a big “thing” to be a blessing. Thanks for the chance to win too!
bamagv at aol dot com
Love this one.
I love this. It’s perfect. Literally been counting down the days till we see u.
My fave Christmas memory is our last Christmas with my momma/Grammie! We spent a week at Disney World and I loved seeing her face light up at everything Taylor(then almost 4) would do or say while we were there! 🙂 LOVE this piece of art!!
shared on fb!
Love love love this one, my sun is rising again, I saw my son’s face for the first time Dec 7, hoping your time is very very soon!
my favorite christmas memory, it is also the most sad but still good:
it was actually the year my grandma died.
we have a huge family and always have large family christmas parties on christmas eve. in 1991, my grandma passed away…dec 22. we buried her in the morning on dec 24th. that night, we still had our family get together, laughing, sharing memories of my grandma…knowing that she was there still with us. it was like a peace. i think if we hadn’t had the traditional get together, the grieving would have been even harder. we had each other and that was the best present we could have given each other.
My favorite Christmas memory will always be when my boyfriend (at the time) proposed to me on the way to my family’s Christmas gathering at a beautiful little chapel at a local monastery. By the way, he & I have been married for almost 12 years!!
I love this! And I love your outlook–even when times are really, really hard.
Absolutely wonderful!
Every Christmas we got socks in our stockings, an orange in the toe, and chapstick. My little sister always ate the chapstick, every time! We’re grown up now. Last Christmas her daughter are her stocking chapstick!
My favorite Christmas memory was my Christmas wish of 9 years finally coming true. 4 years ago, I became a mama via adoption the weekend of Christmas.
My favorite Christmas memory is how we got to help wrap gifts for the family. I always enjoyed it. On year my dad liked to be sneaky, and after the box was taped up, would tell me who it was for, then we would talk about how much they will like their gifts while wrapping it up. Then, he told me I had wrapped up all my own gifts…
I have to say I look forward to your post everyday!! Hopefully soon we will have a pitter patter throughout our house as I hope you do too! Love the piece, wouldn’t mind a bit to have it 🙂
chin up, laura! keep smiling!
Only ONE favorite Christmas memory? As much as I loved Christmas growing up, I think I’m loving it even more now that I have my own kids. I think my favorite memory would be last year, when my daughter gave my son a card that sings “Woody’s Roundup”. I was appalled at the $8 price tag for a card, but she insisted and, sure enough, it was his favorite present! He still talks about his “gift card”.
my fave christmas memory … my brother was born on christmas morning….1983.
My favorite Christmas memory has to be the year my oldest son began to believe… It was the best thing to see the magic in his eyes when we would see Santa and when the presents were under the tree Christmas morning… This year it’s real for my baby boy and each day is full of excitement for us all… I can’t wait until Christmas morning to see his bright eyes filled with joy… All he wants is an ambulance and for Santa to bring his big brother a new imaginext… Melting heart here…
A favorite Christmas memory… every year, the weekend after Thanksgiving we search to find the perfect one and then cut down our own Christmas tree. It is such a fun tradition that I had with my family growing up and my husband and I love it each year & we can’t wait to do so with our child, when God blesses us with one.
Amanda
Your giveaway ends on my birthday! You were definitely not a slacker! It’s been over two years since my mom died and I still have days like that.
I want to say something to make the sad parts of waiting feel better, but I know it won’t. Hoping that knowing that each month these markers make my heart hurt a little more with you and I’m praying for your son and you.
Facebooked it!
Amanda
fave Christmas memory is finding candy in the little pockets of the santa dolls my grandma made for me and my brother. he had little clothes that I could take off and put back on. a tiny shirt, vest and his red coat. when she was in her 80’s we told her she had to make a couple more so if we each had more than one kid, they would have one too. and she did. she was a treasure and i love thinking of her every year when i get them out. i so miss my nana.
Thank you for being a part of the inspiration for our 2012 project (http://project52acts.blogspot.com/view/magazine).
This is an awesome 8X10 I love it and my fingers are double crossed this time!!!
When I was a kid we listened to “Cinnamon Bear” on the radio every night starting on December 1 and finishing on Christmas. Somehow I don’t think we ever heard the end of the story! And lest you think I am 108 years old, it was retro even then.
hello! hope you are having a great night!
I stumbled on your page several weeks ago. I have been very inspired by your art work. It has been encouraging to see your faith during the loss of your mom. My hubby and I are in the process of becoming licensed to foster children. We are hoping eventually to adopt. I can’t wait to see what the story of redemption will look like in our little one’s life!
I shared the giveaway on my facebook page!
favorite memory: my dad used to hide gifts on the tree and make up clues in order to help us find the gift. it was fun.
One of my favorite Christmas memories was my 16 year old daughter’s first Christmas! The question isn’t WHAT was special about it…but wasn’t special about it. In fact each Christmas has been special since!
A friend of mine is also waiting for the rest of their family. Her precious Christmas card talked about the struggles of waiting and talked about being “undone.” My heart goes out to you both and pray that somehow this Christmas has a special moment of promise for you!
I love it! So great and such great truth to remember!
Re-shared on facebook. Fingers crossed.
My favorite Christmas memory was going on a sleigh ride through the woods with my uncles, aunts, cousins, and grandpa on my Dad’s side of the family…such great memories–we would push each other off into the snow, and then run to catch up and jump back on! My grandpa would sit in the middle of the sleigh and just laugh and soak it all in! He used to say, “I sucked every last bit of joy out of my grandkids!” It sounds like your mom did the same with you and with your kids! What a blessing and a lasting legacy!
Lovin this one too!
Shared on FB!
I guess 1998 bc it was my last Christmas with my dad. Don’t remember too much, but I do remember him getting me a tanzanite ring I wanted really bad for some reason. Anyway…praying for during Christmas.
Shared it on my facebook!
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Shared on Facebook 🙂
Thanks for the inspiration . . . we did our own “random act of kindness” today 🙂
Love this!!! (not that it’s a surprise, being that I love ALL your work!!) hmm…will have to think and get back to you on that Christmas memory 🙂
Love the new piece…praying this is the last one! Praying for you all.
I hope, Laura, that your Christmas rocks your socks off! If anyone deserves it it’s you! Praying for you all the time.
My favorite Christmas memory was when my sister and I were young, and my parents decided we were going to spend Christmas Eve night at my Grandmother & Granddaddy’s house. We had never ever been away from home when we woke up on a Christmas morning. My sister and I were really worried because my grandparents lived way WAY out in the country (Flintville, if that tells you anything), and besides that they didn’t even have a chimney. We thought we were DOOMED! But we found out that Santa (who must certainly be an overachiever) will go to any lengths and/or degrees of difficulty to deliver the goods on Christmas morning. =)
My favorite Christmas memory is the first Christmas we had our peanut. She was four months old. We drove from Iowa to northern Minnesota. It was so cold our car heater couldn’t keep up. By the time we arrived 10 hours later my husband and I had the starts of first degree frostbite,but our peanut had been warm and snug in her carseat! I loved showing her off to everyone and experiencing all the firsts with her. Even though she was so unaware of what was going on. Eleven years later she is now a young lady who still loves Christmas and car rides!
Love it and love you more!
My favorite Christmas memory would be going with my family to Christmas eve services. The church I grew up in didn’t have these but my parents felt it was the perfect way to go into celebrating the real gift of the season and took us to one of the baptist churches having one. Probably one cool one I remember the most is a church having a singing Christmas tree.
Hang in there. Maybe Christmas day needs to be a quiet family day of together time.
I know this may sound CrAzY coming from a total stranger…but I LOVE you and your precious family! Totally thinking of and praying for you guys this Christmas!
My favorite Christmas memory is when my granny hired a Santa to come to our Christmas Eve gathering. I got a tube of M&Ms and I just will never forget it. So many great memories with my Granny 🙂
Shared on facebook!
One of my favorite Christmas memories was when our dad surprised us with a trip (my first at the time) to NYC! I was 12 and we left the next morning….and my love afair with that city began…..
shared on FB…of course!
I look forward to reading your post every day and finding out how your random acts of kindness go!
This is absolutely my favorite song right now!!
My favorite christmas memory is waking up on Christmas morning to filled stockings…my dad still fills our stockings and we still get gifts from santa even though everyone is over the age of 22. 🙂
A favorite Christmas memory… I would say making cut out sugar cookies with my grandma. I just lost her this summer and am really missing her right now. Christmas was always HER time!
Shared on Facebook!
Your generosity and loving spirit is amazing!
It is such a beautiful sentiment. A reminder that each day is a new beginning and we must leave yesterday behind.
Favorite Christmas memory was we got a new game every year and we would sit in the floor as a family and play it, so I have carried that memory over to my kids.
LoVe allll of your stuff! You are so very talented! And I shared the link on fb, also! 🙂
Most favorite and memorable memory – Was living in Japan and going up to a mission to deliver gifts. We ended up in a gigantic car wreck when it started snowing and my mom and sister got hurt. My dad was on temporary duty in the Phillipines and he got to come back to be with us. We each got one present that year and I still have the watch I received. It was a Christmas we all still talk about and cherish.
I love this piece, it perfectly represents my life at the present moment… going through a setting time but looking forward to the rise!
I’d love to buy this but will shot for winning it 🙂
My favorite Christmas memory is actually one that occurred a number of times. It’s of my grandma, who just adored Christmas, directing people at her annual Christmas party into their groups to sing the 12 Days of Christmas and everyone had these little song books so they knew all the words. She passed away just shy of 9 years ago now and I miss her a lot, especially at Christmas, but I know she’s watching over me so… FFFFIIIIIVVVVEEEE GOOOOOOOLLLLLDEEENNNNNNN RRRRIIIIIIINNNNNNNGGGGGGGSSSSSSS!!!!!!!
Favorite Christmas memory…I will share a recent one. Last year, my hubbie, boys and I put on our jammies, went through the McDonald’s drive through and got dinner and then drove around town looking at Christmas lights. It was simple and sweet 🙂
Love this piece! I favorite Christmas was in 2009. I was decorating the tree and my son ask me to pray with him. He wanted to ask Jesus into his Life! That was the best Christmas present. And of course, I rejoiced and cried…Hope you have a Wonderful Christmas!
I look forward to your reading your blog every day!! I think I will miss the daily posts once Christmas is over… :+)
Happy to share your giveaway and talents with my fb people!
Love love love this! Coldplay is one of my favorites too!
Shared:)
My favorite christmas memory is gathering all the family together and each person reading a verse out of the bible before our prayer for christmas dinner:)
love this piece!
favorite Christmas memory . . . last year we decided we would stay home all day in our pajamas on Christmas. best decision ever!
posted on FB! thanks!
I always look forward to reading your blog. I check it every day! You are an inspiration!
One of my favorite Christmas memories was last Christmas with both of my kids…my oldest being such a good big sister and bringing presents one by one to her brother. 🙂
Your little one is SO loved! Those “waiting” pictures are going in an album, right?
A goofy Christmas memory each year, is that whenever we hear Frosty the Snowman, I have to stop and go dance with my daughter. Her favorite song!
Shared on FB 🙂
Love your art! Want some in my house 🙂 🙂
Wow! I really love this one. It speaks to my heart as we spend our second Christmas without our Little Guy. The waiting is hard.
My favorite Christmas memory hasn’t happened yet. It will be when our Little Guy is home with us…we will be complete.
Facebooked it. 🙂
Favorite Christmas memory: Christmas of 1997 when I was five years old my daddy had back surgery. He went in for his surgery just a few days before Christmas and the doctors said he most likely wouldn’t be home for Christmas morning. My sisters and I were devastated of course, but still held out hope. My favorite thing about this specific year was when I walked out my back door on Christmas morning, snow on the ground, to see my daddy getting out of the car to join us for Christmas. It was truly an awesome day! 🙂
Shared on facebook!
Shared on twitter!
Just wanted to let you know that you might not be able to hold your little man this Christmas, but I can assure you God is 🙂 cannot wait for the day we all finally see a complete family portrait on the blog! Sending prayers for patience and peace your way 🙂
I have a feeling you’ll be seeing your new little guy sooner than you think! I can’t wait to see that blog post!!
One of my favorite Christmas memories is being with all of my cousins at my Granny’s on Christmas Eve. No one gets together like that anymore but I still take my boys to my Grannys every Christmas Eve just to carry on the tradition.
Shared on FB. 🙂
This absolutely amazing! I love you’re stories and all the things you are doing. My roommate is a complete Coldplay fanatic and this would be an absolute blessing to be able to
give to her for Christmas! love love love!!! Merry Christmas and I hope I win! 🙂
This is my favorite piece you’ve made so far! Love Coldplay. And wow are your kiddos growing up!
I have been praying for you to see that sweet face! What an amazing Christmas gift that would be.
My favorite Christmas memory is actually the day after Christmas 2007 when we got, “the call” letting us know that we were chosen!!!! Come and meet your little Christmas Eve miracle!!! I became a Mama for the second time to the most beautiful little brown boy :o) Hoping for the same gift this Christmas ~ hint hint Jesus (little girl too ~ if that’s ok with you)!!!
Praying for you this season!
My favorite christmas memory was the last time my whole family was together! Now christmas is small and not the same.
Thank you for sharing your life with us!
1#entry…i love this canvas! Kind of a reminder..the bad times are there so we can appreciate the good times. I’ll be praying for you, Laura. This is my second Christmas without my Dad…he passed pretty suddenly last year. I’d like to say it gets easier, but that would be a lie. I think you just learn to live a different way than you did before. I’m an orphan now, even at 43, and I’m living my life differently now than I did when I was daddy’s girl. I try to do things and create memories that draw his spirit close…that way, he’s still with me, and I can feel him, talk to him, and remember the good times. May you have peace this holiday season, and smile when you think of the good times that you’ve had with your incrediable mother…:)
Merry Christmas!
My favorites Christmas memories are of visiting my grandparents farm and spending Christmas together in a one bedroom one bath house!
Shared on fb!
Shared on twitter!
Entry #2 my most favorite Christmas memories: well…I think going with my Dad to West Virginia to visit my grandparents at Christmas was up near the top of the list!! I got to see snow, which for a Florida girl is a huge deal! Plus, I loved my grandparents so much! My granddaddy was my hero, without a doubt! As an adult, I think the best memories I have of Christmas is when we all get dressed up and go to Church on Christmas day! Singing those hymns, it truly felt how Christmas is supposed to feel: pure love and graditude for our Savior!
Entry #3 I shared you on Facebook at my page: Because I said sew..;)
Entry #4 I gottcha covered on Twitter, too!;)
Your mom was so blessed to have you and Chris as her children. I loved your Mom!
My favorite Christmas memory (right now) is of my Dad. The week before Christmas Eve, we went to the little grocery store owned by his cousin and fixed bags of fruit and candy to be given out at the Christmas Eve service at our church. We had less that 75 that attended our little church each Sunday but we knew on Christmas Eve the church would be packed so we always fixed at least 200 little brown paper sacks with an apple, orange, candy and peppermint stick. My Dad always made Christmas about others and I have so many wonderful memories because of his heart. I miss him.
My favorite Christmas memory was Santa’s visit at my grandparents house on Christmas Eve and then watching for him fly over from their big window with my siblings and cousins!
Praying for comfort and joy for you this Christmas week.
As always, I love this painting. I love the sun rays!
I have many favorite memories. The funniest one is a tie for the same year. I was 12 and my parents MADE me sleep in my brothers room, which was gross. When we woke up they said I could go get dressed it I wanted, which was strange. So I walked into my room and my bed was gone and in it’s place was a new waterbed. For the life of me I couldn’t put it together until I heard my dad whisper ‘is she blind’…and then I realized it was for me. LOL. Also since they were so tired from staying up all night putting the bed together one of my gifts said “To Andrea From Tape Deck” My poor mom! Oh, and my parents always covered our eyes before we could see the tree. Oh, and we weren’t allowed to see the tree until they covered our eyes so we’d yell “mom dad wake up it’s Christmas” To this day, I still call on Christmas morning, if they aren’t here visiting. So does my brother.
Shared on FB.
I so hope this wait is over for you soon. I know it seems like an eternity to each of you. He is going to be one lucky little boy…to have a family longing for him and then to get to experience the love of your home!! You are very special, Laura…and each of your children is blessed to have you as their Mom.
One of my favorite Christmas memories, as a child, is waking up very early in the morning (like middle of the night early in the morning) to see what Santa brought. Although I know now that Mama and Daddy did not have a lot of money, Santa always brought exactly what we wanted…a doll for me, a train for the boys, and always a box with fruit, candy, and nuts in it. Daddy/Santa was a giver…he loved to make others happy.
Posted on fb.
love your random acts of kindness…great to give the gift of giving to your children.
favorite Christmas memory….as a family we love to pile in the car with our kids and pick up some coffee/hot chocolate and drive around listening to Christmas music and go look at Christmas lights. We just all laugh and have a great time. This year we have our two new Ethiopian children home…which is amazing.
Thinking of you today….love love love you!
Favorite Christmas memory: Just the pure joy and excitement feeling Christmas morning and my parents making us wait in the hallway until they got the video camera set up for us to see what Santa had brought. And just being with my family on Christmas day.
I shared this on facebook!
So love this! Hope you get good news soon on your new addition to the family!!!!
My an ol’ comment is that I love that you know your mailman’s name. That’s awesome. 🙂
A favorite Christmas memory….I have lots….they all revolve around family. Some of the most fun ones are of me and my sister (2 years older) waking up at who-knows-when (probably around 3am) every. single. Christmas. morning and inevitably waking up our parents, who then told us to go back to bed. 🙂 So fun.
This has become my daily read. Thank you for sharing your heart, Laura, and we continue to pray for you and yours.
I love you Laura Thomas!!!! I also LOVE this art work!!! I shared it on facebook and Twitter (@beckycasanova)
My favorite Christmas memory was when I was a JR in high school and we went to Long Hollows 11PM candle light service. When we came out of church it was snowing and my dad did a roundoff in the middle of the parking lot. Because you know my reserved dad you will understand why this is one of my favorite memories.
You continue to amaze me with your spirit!
My favorite Christmas memory is going to my Grandma and Grandpa’s on Christmas Eve and putting on a Christmas show for all the adults before gifts were opened. We still crack up laughing watching those home videos.
Shared on FB
I love the random acts of kindness. . . makes me look forward to each day to see what pics you have posted!
That is an awesome piece! I love the sunrise! Thanks a lot!
My favorite Christmas memory as a kid was driving to my grandparents house and racing to the front door. We each had our own “spot” in their livingroom where our presents were. Such fun times as a kid!
One of my favorite Christmas memories is going shopping with my mom each year for our Salvation Army Angel tree kids. It is so much fun to buy for others and to give! Thanks again!
What a beautiful piece and lyrics!
My favorite Christmas memory? When I got a guitar and u got drums and we started our “band”
My favorite Christmas memories is breakfast on Christmas morning at my Grandparents’ house. My grandfather fixes something called “eggs-a-la-goldenrod” which he only fixes once per year. Our whole family is there and it just “feels” like Christmas!
You are such a wonderful person. I love reading about your Random Acts of Kindness,
Shared the giveaway on Facebook!
Shared the giveaway on Twitter!
I loved Huddy’s hair, too! In fact, I was going to comment on it yesterday! Cute! And I love the song “Paradise” by Coldplay so I think I should win this piece. . . .
Merry Christmas to You and Yours.
Shared on FB
I love your work!!!
shared!
Christmas memory/memories: all the many Christmas Eves at Maw-Maw and Paw-Paw’s with cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. I particularly remember the Christmas when Maw-Maw mad Raggedy Ann dolls for all the granddaughters. . . .I know so much love went into those dolls!
Shared on FB
Amazing work! Love the art!
I’ve been loving following along on your random acts of kindness journey. You guys are so generous and so much fun!
Praying your wait to see your little ones face will be over this week. God tends to have great timing, so I’ll trust when you do get that call it will be just perfect.
I shared this on my wall.
Beautiful work of art! Thanks so much for sharing and you and your family continue to be in our prayers! May God bless you this holiday season and we are hoping you see your son’s face soon!!!
These words are right on for what God is bringing me though right now. It is a great reminder of redemption of our pain. Praying for your healing as well.
My favorite Christmas memory is just all of my family being together when I was young. Through the years, the gatherings have gotten smaller, but still filled with warmth and love, and lots of food.
I love your artwork!
Another beautiful piece! 13 months is definitely too long to be waiting. I am praying for you as you wait to see your precious boy’s sweet face!
Merry Christmas. Love your stuff.
My favorite Christmas memory is my daddy lifting me up to put the angel on top of the tree.
Praying your Christmas will still be merry.
I love the saying and also the random acts of kindness that you are doing, it would be good for my wife and I along with our son to do when he gets a little older!
love this, love coldplay and saying a prayer for you and your family this Christmas season.
My favorite Christmas memory is getting a barbie dollhouse when I was about 6-7 years old and fighting with my sister about it!
My favorite Christmas memory its driving around looking at Christmas lights and my dad saying “the blue ones look like baby Jesus is hiding in there”. Such a crazy thing to say! But we still love to look for baby Jesus lights and baby Jesus bushes!
Love this quote. Reminds me of the U2 quote ” always pain before a child is born”. In life, I have found that we must always experience some unhappy times before we are truly grateful for all of the blessings..
Waiting is so hard! It has been two years since our miscarriage when God led us to adoption for baby 5! And one year since we started adoption process officially! But thank goodness our hope is in the Lord as we wait! He is our strength and our song! Our rock and our redeemer! Our portion and our cup! In Him I will wait! Praying for you today as you wait! 😉
I love how the C in December is around that mans face 🙂 And I love the quote although I haven’t heard Coldplay in ages!
I just love how you share your God given gift of creativity with people and brighten their day.
One of my favorite Christmas memories is from when I was little. My brothers always got Christmas gifts that were alike since they were close in age and both boys. One year (I was 4 or 5), I walked downstairs on Christmas morning and there were two Littlefoot stuffed animals and I remember being sad because I loved Land Before Time and I just knew when there was 2 of something it was for my brothers. And I also remember getting so excited when we sat down to open presents and one of the Littlefoots had a pink ribbon with my name on it! Oh, the joys of childhood
My favorite Christmas memories are of Christmas eve when my dad and brother were still living. We would visit my grandmother. Upon returning home my mom and I would make Christmas fudge and I would pop popcorn for all of us. We would settle in and watch our favorite Christmas movies – A Christmas Carol, It’s a Wonderful Life and The Blue Brothers…not sure how the Blues Brothers got thrown into the mix but it was a tradition that my brother and I shared. He passed away a few weeks ago and I lost my dad in 1999 – This Christmas will be difficult to say the least.
My favorite Christmas memory is the times we spent on Christmas Eve with my family. We would start at my grandparents house and then walk over to my great Aunt and Uncles house. I remember the walks the most – hanging out with everyone laughing and singing along the way.
shared on facebook
Thank you for sharing your life with all of us. I have enjoyed reading about your RAK this Christmas season.
I love your art And I love coldplay!! Praying you see your sons sweet face soon!!!
Beautiful!!!
As a fellow adoptive mama I agree the waiting is incredibly hard. However the BLESSING of when our babies are finally home, there are no words to describe the joy. Our ” Haitian Sensation” has been home almost two years now. I still stand in awe that God chose to bless our family with this precious little girl .
Love this!!!! What a great song too 🙂
Favorite Christmas memory…getting together with my entire extended family (on my mom’s side) every Christmas Eve and having Italian food for dinner (even though we are all Irish 🙂 So many fun memories!!!!
Merry Christmas!
One of my favorite Christmas memories was getting so exited every year to see that my granny had made “green candy” again each Christmas. “Green Candy” were crispy corn flake treats dyed green with red hots on top to look like holly leaves. Love them!
It is so awesome that you are adopting. Now I know why my wife follows you on Facebook! We, too, are adopting an pray that we will have our little man home really soon. We started the process last August, and we will be extremely glad when we get to be with our little man! I pray that your adoption journey will soon allow you to be with your child!
Our favorite Christmas memory is really a Christmas tradition. Every year, the very first thing we do is act out the Christmas story with our daughters (7 & 5). We want our daughters to know that Jesus Christ is the reason for Christmas! HE is our priority! We can’t wait to get out son in on all the acting too!
I love reading your blog. Hope you and yours have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!
My favorite Christmas memory is that my older brother and younger sister would drag matresses all into one bedroom on Christmas Eve so we could all wake-up at the same time Christmas morning. I am not sure we got much sleep though. =)
Shared on my Facebook page. =)
I am moved by your RAK (random acts of kindness)
Left post on website and going to share on my page!
I love this piece!
When I was six, I got RED high-top Reebok tennis shoes…I thought they were the coolest things ever! Now, that I look back at pictures, they were really obnoxious! 🙂
I shared it on Facebook!
What a beautiful giveaway. Thanks for the opportunity.
I have so many great Christmas memories but my most memorable was more of a blessing. A long time ago I was a single mom with 4 children, no child support and my christmas present money was stolen along with my purse at the first store went to for Christmas shopping. I had a very old stationwagon (gas guzzler) and only enough money for bills (which did not include gas). I don’t know how anyone ever found out because I didn’t tell anyone but someone at my church gave me 200.00 for presents, someone mailed me a Publix card (groceries) and I drove on 5.00 of gas for a week (a miracle). What a blessed Christmas it was.
I shared on facebook.
My favourite Xmas memory is of the nativity scene in school
I’m so glad today was a better day for you! Hugs.
My favorite memory is Christmas Eve when my mom would give me a new ornament to commemorate the year. I carry this tradition on with my kids!
Your kids are beautiful and I know that your mom is smiling down!
“But as for me, I will always have hope and I will praise you more and more” Psalm 71:14
You will never realize what a positive impact you have had on my life just by reading your blog!
Favorite Christmas Memory: I have two!
Germany. 1991. Dad was in Iraq right before Desert Storm started. He left a couple of weeks before Christmas so we got two Christmas’s that year! I got a Minnie Mouse sleeping bag, a doll house and an art easel.
The other is a Nativity set a Sunday School teacher gave to me about 15 years ago. I put it out every year and I can’t wait to put it up in my own home!
My favorite Christmas memory occurred just this year. We have always had the tradition of cutting down our Christmas tree. My favorite tree is a Douglas Fir and they don’t grow in TN. So my husband drove me and the kids 6.5 hours to North Carolina. We spent the night in an awesome hotel and got up the next mornig and headed to the tree farm for the most perfect, beautifullest (i make up words too) tree that I have ever seen!
And of course I shared this on FB!
Posted to FB
This is the first time I have seen this blog and love it! I love the canvas and would love to win it for my classroom at school! I also LOVE LOVE LOVE your idea of giving a gift each day! Inspiring 🙂
You are my inspiration! I love your artwork and I too love to create pretty things! I hope to someday soon do something similar to fund an adoption to grow our Family. God Bless You! i hope your wait is over soon!
I love decorating the tree. All the ornaments… most of mine are different. Each one special in its own way. Especially the ones created with love by my little man! Together they make a beautiful tree!
shared on FB
I hope this is your last waiting giveaway too!
My favorite Christmas memory is the Christmas Eve candlelight service that my church had every year. The best year was the year I turned 12 because I was old enough to hold a candle. My family didn’t celebrate Christmas with presents and dinner when I was growing up, so the Christmas Eve service was something I really looked forward to and enjoyed!
Shared on Facebook
I pray that my daughter embraces tis quote in this difficult time.
Beautiful! As always!
What a wonderful lyric to choose. As always, I love your work!
Favorite Christmas memory: getting the pound puppy I wanted the Christmas I was 5 years old!
Merry Christmas, Laura! May God fill your heart with his love this holiday.
Absolutely beautiful piece!
I remember being scared of Santa!
love your art
Love all of your artwork! Hoping this is your last waiting giveaway and you will get to meet your sweet boy soon!
I love love love this piece!!
My favorite Christmas memory is making a birthday cake for and singing Happy birthday to Jesus on Christmas morning before opening our gifts. It helped us remember who the day is really about.
I have a horrible memory! I think one that comes to mind is our first Christmas as a married couple and decorating our first tree together. I always enjoy decorating the tree and going through the memories of all the old ornaments.
Shared on FB.
I love your random acts of kindness ideas, and I love the fact that someone random act of kindnessed you guys also. 🙂 Very sweet!
My favorite Christmas memory was when my sister and I accidentally knocked over the Christmas tree. It definitely was not funny at the time seeing as we both got in BIG super huge trouble, but looking back, it was freaking hilarious! It was one of the first times that I heard my mom say a curse word. 🙂
Shared on facebook!
Tweeted about the giveaway!
Feeling inspired by your blog to be more intentional about Advent…
Favorite Christmas memory was the year we brought our 7-year-old home from China. She drew a series of pictures of Santa with his boots off, warming his feet by our fireplace and snacking on cookies:-) It was a magical first Christmas for her and for us as well…
Love the new art piece.
Shared on my fb
I know what you mean about the feeling of loss the first Christmas without a loved one. My mother passed away on December 14, 2006. While I miss her so, I am comforted by the Love of Christ she shepherded me to and the fond family traditions she left behind. Be comforted in His Love as you celebrate this year and await your precious boy!
Love all you stuff as usual!
Favorite Christmas memory has to be spending time at my grandmother’s house that was always decorated in the most fabulous fashion!
shared on facebook!
Beautiful piece!
Opening my denim jacket when I was a teenager….BEST GIFT EVER! I was sooooo excited!
Shared on facebook!
I love this piece…would love it even more in my home! Still praying for you and your family!
Favorite Christmas memory: Every Christmas eve, we would go to my grandparents house to open presents. My grandpa always used to hide a big candy bar in the back of his closet for me to go get after opening presents It was always our little secret. He passed away January 6th of this year. This Christmas will be my first Christmas in 24 years that I won’t get a candy bar from him.
This is a really neat art piece! I love how you incorporate “The Tennessean” into things, reminds me of home! 🙂
Have been praying for you, and will continue to do so! Love the beautiful piece!
One of my favorite Christmas memories is the year I received my mint green “huffy” bicycle, with white tires! Awesome! 🙂
Favorite Christmas memory is participating in Angel Tree, and taking Christmas gifts to those who can’t afford! 🙂
Shared on FB too!
Love the new giveaway piece.
I don’t know that I have one specific favorite Christmas memory. My son’s first Christmas last year was pretty awesome.
Shared on facebook.
I’m not on Twitter. Sorry.
Love this piece!!!!!
Shared on FB!!!
Lots of Joyful memories this time of year…. The kids make so many wonderful memories for us!!! Praying for you, love reading your blogs each day!!! So many wonderful memories you are making for those kiddos!!!
My daughter was born in TN! Would love to win this!!
My fondest memories of Christmas are my mother playing Christmas carols on the organ on Christmas morning. Sweet, sweet times!
I tweeted the contest!
Trying to win this for my wife!
You’re in my prayers. Hoping you’re heart heals soon and that your little guy is home soon. I always look forward to reading your posts everyday. You’re views on life are so inspirational. And I love how you are raising your children to love and treat everyone with love and respect on matter who the are. You are an abosolutely amazing woman.
My favorite christmas memory is actually last years. I spent it in hospital with my two day old daughter. 🙂 She is the best gift ever given to me.
Love it!
You are so talented. Your set work is so beautiful and such a witness to your character. Just know …..I love ya girl.
My favorite Christmas memory is listening to my papa read the story of Christ birth aloud to the family after Christmas dinner.
Face booked!
I just wanted to add…I am not crafty, so I have to plan ahead, but my family has already started creating our “Random Acts of Kindness” advent for 2012! 🙂 Thanks again!
I used to love watching the sunrise when I was kid in the hospital…I loved the warmth on my face.
I know you will get to see your son very soon. Your work is awesome!!!!
My favorite Christmas memory was when we had a blizzard & was snowed in with my parents. What a fun experience to have grandparents here at the house to watch the opening of the Christmas morning presents.
Shared on facebook.
Laura,
Praying for your family as you wait and go through this Christmas holiday. Thought you may like to know that we just had our one year home celebration with our sweet Bulgarian boy! Ves is doing amazing! He is such a joyful child. We tell him that the Lord has marked him for joy! And, it totally blesses my heart to see your “Brothers” artwork hanging in their room! Thank you. Merry Christmas.
lifting you up to the most high KING!!!!!!
repsting this……and praying for blessings for you
Love this piece, love your blog, am inspired by you, and would love to hang this on our wall!
Merry Christmas!
I LOVE this quote, band, and art! We’ve been waiting almost 6 years for our boy in China. This would be appropriate for us for sure.
Favourite Christmas memory: putting tinsel on the tree with my family, a fire in the fireplace and buckeyes for dessert.
I LOVE this piece! You do amazing work! I also admire your outlook on life. I think you are a strong person with a HUGE heart. I am so glad I stumbled upon your blog and I CANNOT wait to own an original Laura Kelley someday!
A favorite Christmas memory of mine…this one is hard. I absolutely love Christmas. I have always acted like a big kid at Christmas, and now that I have 2.5 year old twin boys, my kid-like outlook is justified! I guess just Christmas morning in general. I love, love, love seeing what Santa has for me under the tree, and now I get to see my kids faces light up when they see what Santa has brought for them. I am making it a tradition with my kids to make goodies and hand deliver to some of our sweet older neighbors. The joy it seems to bring the elderly to receive a gift from 2 precious boys is priceless!
Love your artwork, Hope I win 🙂
I shared on Facebook 🙂
Favorite christmas memory: My daughter’s first Christmas… that is my favorite of all time.. she was 10 months old and crawled to her gifts and i cried my eyes out 🙂 This will be my son’s first.. he is 11 months old… only gets better from here! Merry Christmas to you guys!!
Shared on Facebook!
Merry Christmas!!!
Wonderful Piece!
Favorite Christmas Memory – Spending my first Christmas with my two adopted Ethiopian daughters!
Shared on Facebook!
Love this!
My favorite Christmas memory is my sisters and I wearing the same special pjs that our mom bought for us to wear every christmas eve.
Love this piece. Praying for you and your family!
Favorite Christmas memory: opening a new pair of Christmas pajamas on Christmas eve and all wearing them the entire Christmas day while opening presents, being with family, and playing with new toys.
shared on twitter!
Love it, and praying for you!
This piece is beautiful & I would love to win! I know just where I would hang it! 🙂
A favorite Christmas memory …. 2 years ago when I had both my girls in matching PJs & photographing them in front of our tree. I was so excited to finally have my dream come true-two little girls, matching jammies, in front of our tre! 🙂
This might be my favorite piece that you’ve done! I love it!!!
I think my favorite Christmas memory will end up being this year – performing our Random Acts of Christmas Kindness. My family has enjoyed it so much and my 6 year old has been so excited about doing things for others.
I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me what I need. Philippians 4:13
You have taken that step of faith and trust in God with everything. There is no limit to what God can do through you. Your daily blogs and comments from others are evidence of God working through you! You are one amazing young lady!
My favorite Christams memories are each Christmas we would go to search for a fresh Christmas tree to cut down and bring home to call our own. I mean gloves, axe and all…We would find the perfect tree, bring it home, drink hot chocolate, and decorate the tree as a family. Oh what sweet memories!!!!!
Slacker, you? Not even close. I’m the one still living in the dinosaur age without a FaceBook account. I’m the slacker 🙂 I don’t even know how to tweet either. I need to figure it out so I’ll have more chances to win.
Praying for your sweet, sweet family….
My favorite Christmas memory was definitely last year. My husband was sick and out of work for a few months, so we weren’t expecting a very exciting Christmas. But it’s amazing how people come together….we were totally blessed by everyones kindness…and we ended up with a full pile of presents under the tree for our (then 1 1/2 year old daughter). This year we are paying it forward….and using your advent as our inspiration and model 🙂
And posted on my Facebook! Thank you for being you!
Praying today is a better day for you! (((((HUGS)))))
Favorite Christmas memory….It was my first year of college and I was back home, as was my brother, from school. He handed me his gift to me and I opened it wondering what it was b/c it was making an odd sound. As I opened it up is was a gag gift of sticks and stones and under it all was a piece of paper that read I.O.U. one item from J. Crew. Funny thing was were were JUST reminiscing about him giving me sticks and stones YEARS ago when I was just little and how I cried when I opened it….all as I was opening the gift! HAhahaha….man, he was a jokester….I miss him…..
Shared on FB! <3